Brain Matter
Coup and Contrecoup Injury
Depending on the person's age, there is about .5 – 1.5″ of space between brain matter and the skull. This space is greatest in infants and toddlers. The larger the space between the brain and skull, the more severe the injury. During a whiplash injury, as the head and neck are thrown forward and backward, the brain is smashed against the wall of the skull. This is also known as a “coup” injury.
As the head and neck whip back in the opposite direction, so does the brain. Resulting in the opposite side of the brain to also smashing against the wall of the skull. This is known as a “contrecoup” injury. This injury typically happens without striking your head against any surfaces. The mere acceleration and deceleration of the head and neck cause this type of injury. Keep in mind, if the head does strike surfaces, such as an airbag, steering wheel, headrest, roof of the car, windshield, etc., the severity of injury increases exponentially.
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Monday
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Tuesday
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